Religious and secular environmental ethics: a comparison between Indonesia and The Netherlands

Abstract

This article compares the outcomes of studies using the so-called Humans and Nature scale in The Netherlands and in Indonesia. The scale measures public support for policies that aim to address environmental challenges, conceptualizing and operationalizing 4 images of human–nature interaction, based on philosophy and religion. The scale was developed in The Netherlands, which is considered to be one of the most secularized countries in the world. It has been used in more than 12 countries, and recently in Indonesia, a country that is considered to be overwhelmingly religious, predominantly Muslim. The main research questions are whether religion matters when it comes to environment, and whether The Netherlands and Indonesia differ in this respect. The answers are relevant because in the environmentalism debate there is a tension between secular and religious environmentalists that does not facilitate a joint effort. The main finding is that humans primarily respond to environmental issues as humans, not as Muslims or Christians, Indonesians or Dutch, and that respondents of various backgrounds are united in their support for a view of humans as eco-friendly stewards of nature. However, this fundamental human attitude towards nature may be framed in religious language, if that language is available in a specific context. In a world where there seems to be a growing gap between the West and the Muslim world, yet a world which faces global environmental challenges, this outcome might be surprising and significant. It is good news for policy makers who foster collaboration between religions, religious and secular (non-religious) actors, and Westerners and non-Westerners in overcoming environmental challenges.